Embodiments relate to modifying situation awareness level of a user of a vehicle, and in particular to an apparatus for controlling a user situation awareness modification of a user of a vehicle, and a user situation awareness modification processing system.
Driver assistance system may partially or fully take over the lateral and/or longitudinal control of a vehicle. Warning systems may be used to warn drivers about dangerous situations which may occur while driving in partially autonomous or highly autonomous mode. However, such warnings may not always be delivered on time to the user. It is desired to improve in-vehicle driver assistance systems and manual driving systems to increase the safety of drivers, for example.
Document US2013/0131905 relates to provoking a response from a user of a vehicle to an artificially applied stimulus provided by the vehicle. Such a stimulus may be a beep from a speaker or a blink from a lamp, for example.
As such, there is a need to provide a concept for improving the safety of driving a vehicle.
Some aspects of the invention relate to an apparatus for controlling a user situation awareness modification of a user of a vehicle, comprising an input module configured to receive a first user detection signal comprising information usable for determining a user situation awareness level. The apparatus comprises a processing module configured to determine a currently necessary situation awareness level by selecting one predefined situation awareness level from a plurality of predefined situation awareness levels based on driving information. The processing module is configured to determine a current user situation awareness level based on the information usable for determining the user situation awareness level. The processing module is configured to generate a control signal to control a user situation awareness modification module based on the currently necessary situation awareness level and the current user situation awareness level.
Some aspects of the invention relate to a user situation awareness modification system. The user situation awareness modification system comprises at least one user detection module configured to repeatedly generate a first user detection signal comprising information usable for determining a user situation awareness level. The user situation awareness modification system comprises a processing module configured to determine a currently necessary situation awareness level by selecting one predefined situation awareness level from a plurality of predefined situation awareness levels based on driving information. The processing module is configured to determine a current user situation awareness level based on the information usable for determining the user situation awareness level. The processing module is configured to generate a control signal to control a user situation awareness modification module based on the currently necessary situation awareness level and the current user situation awareness level. The user situation awareness modification system comprises a user situation awareness modification module configured to modify a current user situation awareness level towards a currently necessary situation awareness level based on the control signal.
Some aspects of the invention relate to a method for controlling a user situation awareness modification of a user of a vehicle. The method comprises receiving a first user detection signal comprising information usable for determining a user situation awareness level. The method further comprises determining a currently necessary situation awareness level by selecting one predefined situation awareness level from a plurality of predefined situation awareness levels based on driving information. The method further comprises determining a current user situation awareness level based on the information usable for determining the user situation awareness level. The method further comprises generating a control signal to control a user situation awareness modification module based on the currently necessary situation awareness level and the current user situation awareness level.
Other objects, advantages and novel features of the present invention will become apparent from the following detailed description of one or more preferred embodiments when considered in conjunction with the accompanying drawings.